So you’re planning your Wedding! Congratulations! There is so much to consider, and I am sure you will feel the list is endless, and it can be overwhelming. At some point though you will be happy with your planning, having set your budget, thought through the venue, the style and theme of your wedding and your “DRESS”!! Even though there are hundreds of other big and little things to do, don’t forget one really important element is your CEREMONY! This is the day you make your vows and promises and share your love and joy.
So, it should be just as unique and special as you are!
As a Celebrant, we can create exciting, memorable ceremonies for every couple, adding lots of personal, quirky or traditional touches – some of which I will explain here:
The Ring Warming Ceremony
This is where we pass the rings between each of your guests, asking everyone to hold the rings and warm them with their wishes or prayers for your future, for health and happiness and all that is good in life. It is a lovely touching ceremony that allows you to include all of your guests before you actually exchange the rings and wear them, warmed with the love and support of your family and friends.
The Hand Fasting Ceremony
This is traditionally what was meant by “tying the knot” – cords or ribbons or even sashes would be tied around the couple’s joined hands, as you can see from the photo, our own lovely royal couple did this in Church on their wedding day. A modern hand-fasting can have cords created in the colours of your wedding theme, the tartans of your clans, and can have charms attached that signify fertility, fidelity and commitment.
Jumping the Broom
This is often also done by couples who want to do something a little bit different, and fun too! The brooms can be decorated in the colours of your wedding theme, and it has started to become a custom to “jump the Broom” after the Hand fasting Ceremony! Looks like a lot of fun!
The Sand Ceremony
The Sand Ceremony is very popular as it has a lovely symbolic context – once the grains of sand from each vial is placed in to the central vessel, those grains cannot be separated! The Sand Ceremony also allows you to customise with coloured sands that match your wedding theme, and also allow more than two colours – so if you wish to include your children or family members in the Ceremony, that can be incorporated too! A lovely way to blend two families!
The Rose Ceremony
This is a lovely Ceremony and very simple – it involves the bride and groom giving a rose to their mothers or new mothers in law! How sweet is that! Or of course, the guests can each hold a rose and subject of course to the number of guests, the roses can be given or taken by the bride and become her bouquet as she reaches her partner! Romantic? You bet!!!
The Unity Candle Ceremony
This is a beautiful and poignant ceremony for the couple as they each light a taper and then together light their candle. Again, the ceremony symbolises two becoming one, two hearts, two families, two people.
The candles can be large or small, engraved with vows or just with the name of the couple and their wedding date. There are a wide variety of candle holders and some beautifully embellished candles that will look stunning during the ceremony.
This blog was originally posted here